The poor will always be the majority. When they use their power to acquire wealth, they will no longer be poor, and the rich will no longer be wealthy.

Where the poor ARE the majority, sure, those are usually countries where a 'strongman' has a grip - not 'the rich' of some other land. Isn't that what America has been helping to change - instead of calling America 'the policeman of the world'? Leftist try to have it both ways. That is a wholly different situation than in America, where to poor are a minority.

You don't lift up the poor by bringing down those who have means.

If it's true that 47% of Americans don't pay any federal income tax, sounds like the "poor" are getting close to majority status.

If it's true that 47% of Americans don't pay any federal income tax, sounds like the "poor" are getting close to majority status.

Your assessment is incomplete. There are many that don't pay tax who are not 'poor' or would not qualify as poor. This shows that the system is broken and being taken advantage of, not in need of more debt/spending.

Couple this with the financial burden that illegals are creating (though that number has been slightly reduced because of the economy), and you have a sick country that needs rescue - not with more debt laden spending.

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First, make it work, then make it pretty.Yaesu Rigs: Kenwood TS-480HX, FT-8900R, FTM-350AR (Bluetooth motorcycle mobile), VX-8DR, SB-102 boat anchor (built one as a kid)

I've said my peace and would like to end my participation on this thread. Good luck to all and hope to see each of you on other, less controversial topics. There's a vast camaraderie with Ham Radio that transcends borders and wishes well-being to all. It's in that spirit that I move on to other ham-centric discussions. I love the volley of political and thoughtful discussions, but that may be for another forum.

dave

« Last Edit: February 08, 2012, 05:54:32 PM by WB4LCN »

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First, make it work, then make it pretty.Yaesu Rigs: Kenwood TS-480HX, FT-8900R, FTM-350AR (Bluetooth motorcycle mobile), VX-8DR, SB-102 boat anchor (built one as a kid)

If it's true that 47% of Americans don't pay any federal income tax, sounds like the "poor" are getting close to majority status.

Your assessment is incomplete. There are many that don't pay tax who are not 'poor' or would not qualify as poor. This shows that the system is broken and being taken advantage of, not in need of more debt/spending.

Couple this with the financial burden that illegals are creating (though that number has been slightly reduced because of the economy), and you have a sick country that needs rescue - not with more debt laden spending.

If it's true that 47% of Americans don't pay any federal income tax, sounds like the "poor" are getting close to majority status.

Your assessment is incomplete. There are many that don't pay tax who are not 'poor' or would not qualify as poor. This shows that the system is broken and being taken advantage of, not in need of more debt/spending.

Couple this with the financial burden that illegals are creating (though that number has been slightly reduced because of the economy), and you have a sick country that needs rescue - not with more debt laden spending.

And then there are many who do pay taxes and are still "poor"! One can spend oneself right into the "poor" house!

This may have been said further up the thread, but IMHO - ham radio is a bit like boating - you can get in very inexpensively (QRP CW, Inflatable boats), or start at whatever level you like, and spend as much as you can afford to, in either hobby. The fun increase comes at a decreasing rate - the rate of increase in enjoyment from spending more money on equipment or bigger boats or better sails does continue, but at a decreasing rate. Most of us find a sweet spot and just operate, or sail or cruise, in the style that suits us best.

The poor will always be the majority. When they use their power to acquire wealth, they will no longer be poor, and the rich will no longer be wealthy.

As evidenced by the poor people's historical successes in the USSR, with the Khmer Rouge, Cuba, and recently their "uplift" in Venuezuela. Seems as though the rulers (lying politicians not unlike the smooth talker in the WH) have more power after duping the poor rise up and the poor are awarded with less; less freedom, less education, less decent health care, less opportunity to advance (unless willing to sell out others) but they are, in their "new life" far more likely to be satisfied with slogans as imprinted on that boot that is held on their necks.

Of course, Tiananamen Square was spawned by rich people put down by the masses, right? The killing fields in Cambodia, can be attributed to the rich...right? The Stalinist purges were rich people being put in their place right...oh wait..poor who wanted freedom were put down in Tiananmen Square, laid to rest in Cambodia and addressed by Stalin. Those who ignore history should be ignored and those who would change history should be suspect.

« Last Edit: February 10, 2012, 06:55:50 PM by KE5JDJ »

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Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.-William Pitt, British prime-minister (1759-1806)

I find it helpful, when some non-ham asks how much getting into ham radio costs, to speak in terms, not of money, but of something most people can identify with: "About as much as a flat-screen TV and a DVD player". Suddenly for many that doesn't seem like a lot of money. Of course, prices of a TV/DVD combo can go all over, as can prices of a ham shack.

It depends how involved an individual wants to get. I have seen bare bones stations with just a radio and one antenna. I have also visited stations were the operator has spent thousands of dollars on radios and antennas and other equipment. Amateur radio is just like other hobbies how much do you want to spend? My neighbor just purchased a new set of golf clubs. With bag, cart and clubs he spent over $2,500! Boy you sure could get a nice HF radio for that amount.

It depends how involved an individual wants to get. I have seen bare bones stations with just a radio and one antenna. I have also visited stations were the operator has spent thousands of dollars on radios and antennas and other equipment. Amateur radio is just like other hobbies how much do you want to spend? My neighbor just purchased a new set of golf clubs. With bag, cart and clubs he spent over $2,500! Boy you sure could get a nice HF radio for that amount.

Yep, but mind you... If you start off with cheap equipment you might be looking at more investment down the road. This especially holds true for HF.

So at the expense of some credit card debt I decided to go with lightly used higher end equipment. It will pay off in the future and I am really into it...

Yes the credit card debt adds stress onto the plate of someone who lives fixed income disability and little bits here and there fixing laptop computers and whatever else makes it's way into my house to get fixed

I have all my videos on Youtube monetized and my website http://alinssite.info is just like any other website, has ads in one or two places and when people hit those i get some money. So all in all it helps, it's no cash cow but it helps cut down on debt and worries.

So my final one line on ham radio.

It's as expensive a hobby as you make it, if you wanna be cheap, it's gonna be cheap, if you wanna get super into it and go for high end top of the line rigs and stuff, it's gonna be more money.

I really got into the hobby right from the get go, I was a CB lover when i was 6 until i was 12 when it died and i was heartbroken, well here i am now and i am totally LOVING Ham radio and my dad is right behind me in helping me with a little bit of money where he can and with all the man power (physical work) he can do to get things done.

Ham radio is above all a hobby it's there for you to have fun with and if you spend a lot of money because radio is your second home away from home then GO FOR IT. in my case i am severely physically disabled so, my radio is a big part of my life, as was the CB rig.

If you want to do something bad enough, you'll figure out how to do it without spending a lot of money. It may take awhile, but it can be done. I just built a legal limit amplifier from old junk parts I've accumulated over the years, during a period of time when I had very little money to spend.

Used equipment can be had; people build their own antennas, transmitters, test equipment, and even receivers for little money.

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